Inari's Blessing
by Solora Goldsun
Summary: It is said that foxes who serve the god Inari are beings of good fortune, beings with powers beyond human imagining. Pyrrha knows this is true from the moment her life is saved by one of these mystical creatures: a playful golden-yellow fox who continues to watch over her as she grows up and searches for the courage to choose her own future. (Kitsune!Jaune AU.)
1. Savior Fox

**Hello, my dear readers! We are here today with a nice little fourshot I came up with recently. I've always loved foxes and am particularly fascinated with the lore surrounding them in Japan. Japanese folklore in general fascinates me, if we're being totally honest. I also figured that, since the recently-finished "Once in a Shattered Moon" featured a human Jaune and a werewolf Pyrrha, and "Mistress of Grimm" features a vampire Pyrrha, it was about time to make Jaune the mythical one in the relationship.**

 **Enjoy!**

Pyrrha was five years old when she ran away from home.

She wasn't destined to be successful, of course. First of all, she was only a small child acting on impulsive anger. Second, it was the middle of winter. Third, she only brought a small satchel filled with cakes to sustain her.

A five-year-old couldn't know her chances of failure, so she spent the first half hour or so walking cheerfully through the woods that bordered the village, eating cakes, bundled up in the coat, boots, and scarf she had managed to steal from the cabinet.

Her muscles ached from the exercises that she had been doing, and her body stank of sweat. She still remembered trembling as her father looked at the time she had taken to run around the house, and shook his head, telling her to run around yet again.

"The Imperial Army has strict standards," he had said. "You need to keep getting better."

Pyrrha had been tired, hot despite the weather, and angry. "What if I don't want to join the stupid army?"

Her father's gaze had hardened. "Then, we'll suffer. We aren't noble enough to marry you to someone with any money, so this is our best chance of getting a better life. Do you want to have a poor life because you didn't want to try harder?"

This had been the final straw that sent Pyrrha running into the house in tears. It had been this that caused her to sneak out once her parents were in bed, with just her warmest clothes, some stolen cakes, and her favorite toy: a stuffed fox.

As an hour passed, Pyrrha started to shiver. The persistent winter air was biting through her coat, slipping through the tiny cracks in the scarf's defense, sliding into her boots as the snow got deeper. When she started to sneeze, she started desperately looking around for shelter.

She had reached the very edge of the village and was too scared to go to a stranger's house. They'd probably send her right back home, anyway, and she wasn't quite that desperate yet.

As she grabbed a tree for support, she noticed a path leading into the woods, toward what looked like a space of cleared trees, and immediately followed it. It was a stone path, and had clearly been shoveled recently, as there was only a thin layer of snow on top. As Pyrrha turned a corner, she found herself in a large clearing, standing in front of a red gate. She stared up at it, her heart pounding. Then, she saw the building at the end of the path and hurried through the gate without hesitation.

When she reached the doors, she realized that the building was the Temple of Inari, the god of rice and foxes. He was the god of various other things, but Pyrrha couldn't remember them just then. She did remember visiting the shrine with her parents during the warmer seasons, watching the semi-tame foxes that lived in the nearby woods play and eat whatever scraps people tossed to them. It looked so different now, all covered in snow, almost like a gingerbread house.

She hurried to the heavy red temple doors, balking at the sight of the red-collared fox statues that stood on either side, only to find them locked. Of course. The High Priest was probably eating dinner or sleeping. Pyrrha wasn't keen on looking for him. At least the roof jutted out slightly where she was, shielding her from the snow that the wind didn't blow at her. Sitting down, she hugged her knees and shivered. After a moment, she took her stuffed fox from her pocket and hugged it to her chest, wiping her nose on the worn cloth.

Pyrrha's eyes were inevitably drawn to the two stone foxes that flanked the great doors. Her trembling increased as she looked at them. She knew that there were two at the front, two inside, flanking the front prayer altar, and then a scattering of more statues in the grass and near the woods. Their fierce canine faces never failed to intimidate her, and now she was alone with them.

She closed her eyes, reminding herself that the foxes served Inari, meaning they had to be good. Even if they did come to life, they wouldn't hurt her, right? Unless she was disrespecting the god by sitting in front of the temple doors. What if they came to life and grabbed her in their powerful stone jaws and threw her all the way to the tree line, and-

A rustling sound caused her to open her eyes. She heard it again, and this time saw some bushes moving. Slowly, she stood up, clutching her fox toy to her chest. She heard a sound like tiny footsteps crunching the frozen grass and moved closer, though she balked at the sight of another fox statue. This one was a more animated creature frozen in the act of walking, one paw curled upward, nose to the ground as if it was searching for something.

There was another rustle before a small head popped out from between two bushes, causing Pyrrha to jump back and fall in the snow. It was a fox, a real one. It tilted its head at her, flicking an ear, then stepped out of the bushes. Pyrrha gasped when she saw that the bushy winter fur of this creature wasn't red, like other foxes, but a golden-yellow color.

Remembering the people who would feed the foxes in the spring, Pyrrha hurriedly reached into her bag, taking out one of the remaining rice cakes and holding it out toward the fox. The fox hesitated, glancing around as if afraid that someone else would jump out. Once it seemed satisfied, it trotted over and delicately snatched the cake from Pyrrha's hand. It walked into the shadow of the sniffing fox statue and started to eat it.

Pyrrha watched the fox and found that she wasn't afraid of looking at the statue anymore. More than that, she was starting to feel something, something deep that she had no words for. It was similar to when she was excited about going somewhere new, or having something tasty for dessert, but different because she didn't quite know what was causing her to feel excited. She watched the strangely-colored fox as it finished the cake and stood up, sniffing the ground for more, one paw lifting up.

That was when she knew. "Is that you?" she asked, pointing at the statue as she sat down in the snow.

The fox looked at her, and she was sure it was somehow smiling at her. This had to be a messenger from Inari. The thought was so soothing, Pyrrha didn't even feel cold anymore. She didn't feel much of anything, in fact.

Suddenly, the fox scampered over, letting out a weird, high-pitched cry. It stood in front of her, ears back, tail lashing, crying desperately at her. Pyrrha wasn't sure what was happening. Her eyelids were so heavy. The fox jumped onto her lap and started licking her face desperately. It leaped back, looked around, then bolted off in the direction of the temple.

"Wait…" Pyrrha mumbled through lips she could no longer feel. "Don't go…" Her vision was starting to go gray and sitting up was suddenly taking too much effort. She fell back in the snow, but it didn't feel like snow. It felt like soft, warm fur. She nestled closer instinctively, nuzzling her cheek against the softness. There was another fox looking at her, a much larger one that was pure white.

The white fox touched her brow with its nose, and Pyrrha was suddenly filled with an awful, tingly sensation that covered her skin and made her shake. There were pins and needles all over her! Why wouldn't it stop?! She pressed closer to the soft fur, trying to make the feeling go away.

Only, there was no fur. She was lying on something soft, but not furry.

"There, now. She's waking up," a voice said.

Slowly, Pyrrha blinked her eyes open. Three blurry outlines were looking down at her. As her vision cleared, she realized that she was in a small room. The outlines were her parents and a man with gray hair who wore red robes like a priest's.

The man smiled down at her. "You gave us quite a scare."

Pyrrha's thoughts were muzzy, and she was trying to remember what had happened. "Where…Where's the fox?"

"Back in the forest, I expect," the gray-haired man said. "It's thanks to him you're alive, you know. He came running to my door and scratched until I came out, then led me right to you. You were half-frozen."

Pyrrha's mother was sobbing, her hands pressed together. "Thank Inari," she murmured.

Her father shook the gray-haired man's hand vigorously. "I don't know how to thank you, High Priest. If there's anything I can do to repay you-"

The priest held up his hand. "I need no payment. If you wish to contribute to the upkeep of the temple, you know where the donation box is, as does everyone in the village. However, you do owe thanks to both Inari and the fox who saved your daughter. I ask only that you leave an offering both on the main shrine, and by the statue of the Seeker Fox, where young Pyrrha was found. The foxes are very fond of fried tofu."

Pyrrha struggled to sit up. "Can I help at the temple, sir?" she asked. Her heart was pounding as she took in the fact that her encounter with the golden-yellow fox had been real. She wanted to see him again.

The priest smiled. "If your parents say it's okay, then yes. Once spring comes."

It was Pyrrha's father who nodded his head. "Of course. It's only right that you serve the god who saved you."

"Go back to sleep," Pyrrha's mother urged. "We'll talk once you're better."

Part of Pyrrha knew that "talk" meant that she would get punished for running away. Still, with the prospect of returning to the shrine and seeing her fox again, Pyrrha found that she no longer wanted to leave.

….

When the last traces of winter had finally faded, Pyrrha walked with her mother to the Temple of Inari.

"Now, remember," Mrs. Nikos said as they went down the path. "Mind High Priest Ozpin and be on your best behavior."

"Yes, Mother."

"And don't work too hard, or you'll be too tired for practice tonight."

"Yes, Mother." Pyrrha was trying to be as obedient and amicable as possible. After her recovery, her mother had given her a long lecture about how worried she and Pyrrha's father had been, and what a horrible thing Pyrrha had done, and how firmer restrictions would be placed on her if she tried such a stunt again. Pyrrha didn't know if she could handle firmer restrictions.

High Priest Ozpin was trimming the bushes surrounding the temple, and Pyrrha was excited to see two other children helping him. One was a ginger girl who was holding a bag of clippings, which she dropped with a delighted gasp when she saw Pyrrha. The other was a dark-haired boy who was carefully pulling weeds from around the bases of the bushes. All three stood up as Pyrrha and her mother approached.

"Ah, young Miss Nikos. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you," Pyrrha replied. She looked around until she spotted the sniffing fox statue and smiled at it.

High Priest Ozpin followed her gaze. "Yes, your friend is still here."

The ginger-haired girl rushed over, a huge grin on her face. "Hi! I'm Nora. You're the girl who got saved by the Seeker Fox, aren't you?"

Pyrrha tilted her head. "Seeker Fox?" She faintly remembered the priest mentioning that term back during the winter, though her brain had been too muddled to really take in the meaning.

Nora pointed to the familiar fox statue. "All the foxes outside the temple have names, since they're all doing different things. That's the Seeker, because he's looking for something. The Playful Fox is my favorite. You wanna see her?"

"Yes, please!"

"Hold on," Mrs. Nikos interjected. "The High Priest probably has chores for you." She handed Pyrrha two bundles. "The bigger one is your lunch. The smaller one is an offering for the shrine. Be good."

Pyrrha bowed her head. "Yes, Mother."

"I love you." Mrs. Nikos kissed her daughter's brow.

"I love you too." Pyrrha watched her mother leave before turning to High Priest Ozpin. "Should I bring the offering in first, sir?"

He nodded. "That would be fine. And please, just call me Ozpin."

Nora was eager to show Pyrrha around, and dragged her companion, whose name was Ren, away from his weeding to do so. After leaving an offering of fried tofu on the main shrine inside the building, Pyrrha was led all around the grounds. She looked at the intimidating foxes that guarded the main altar and the entrance to the temple and found that she wasn't as afraid of them now.

Next came the eight special foxes. "This one is the Queen," Nora explained, showing Pyrrha a fox that sat closest to the temple, ears erect, one paw resting on a large jewel. "And that one over there is the Scholar." She pointed to a fox that held a scroll in its mouth.

They looked at the Hunter, a fox in a crouched hunting position, and the Guardian, whose fangs were bared in a frightening grimace, before returning to the Seeker. Pyrrha put her other offering of tofu beneath the statue and bowed.

The final three statues were the Thinker, whose head was cocked as if deep in thought, the Playful Fox, Nora's favorite, who was crouched in a playful position with its tail fluffed out, and the Shy Fox, who was curled up on the ground, its tail over its snout.

"This one's my favorite," Ren murmured, nodding at the smallest of the statues.

As they walked back to Ozpin, Pyrrha noticed several foxes coming in and out of the forest. Ren paused, reaching into a bag that was attached to his belt, and throwing what looked like dried liver in the direction of the foxes. Immediately, several russet forms burst from the trees and scarfed up the treats. They followed the children from a distance for several minutes after that.

Ozpin wasn't looking at the garden when the children returned to him, but toward the forest. He held up a hand as the children approached and pointed at the bushes. "Looks like one of our special friends is coming out."

Pyrrha felt a surge of delight when she saw a flash of gold. Was her fox coming to see her?

But, no. The fox that emerged definitely wasn't the one who had saved Pyrrha. This one was larger and had dapples of reddish-gold on its back.

"The Queen," Nora gasped.

"What?" Pyrrha tilted her head.

"Watch," Ren urged.

All were silent as the large, dappled fox walked primly onto the grounds of the temple. The normal russet foxes shied away as their obvious superior strode right by them and over to the statue of the Queen Fox. There, she bent down, picking up a cake that had been left there in her jaws, and trotted back toward the forest. She paused, her gaze falling on Pyrrha, then disappeared with a flash of her golden tail.

The four let out a collective breath. "There are eight foxes like that," Ren explained. "And they all take offerings from the eight statues."

"Most of them are girls," Nora added. "The Seeker's the only boy."

Pyrrha thought back to that time in the snow, when she had somehow felt a connection between the golden-yellow fox and the Seeker statue. _They're magic,_ she realized. _These foxes are actually magic!_

The rest of the day was spent tending the temple and greeting visitors, who were especially prominent in the afternoon. Pyrrha learned how to clean the statues without wearing away the stone, how to properly and respectfully dispose of food offerings that were starting to spoil, and how much one was allowed to feed the wild foxes.

"They need to fend for themselves," Ren pointed out. "They can't depend on us too much."

In the late afternoon, Pyrrha's father came for her. "When are your parents getting here?" Pyrrha asked Ren and Nora as she watched her father approach.

The two children were suddenly very sullen. Nora looked at the ground, and Ren's face was unreadable.

"Their parents were killed by bandits," Ozpin explained. "I'm caring for them here until they find permanent homes."

"Oh!" Pyrrha gasped, horrified. "I'm sorry!"

Ren shrugged and managed a comforting smile. "It's fine. You didn't know."

"Hello, Pyrrha," Mr. Nikos said. "Did you behave today?"

"Yes, Father!" Pyrrha replied. "These are my friends, Ren and Nora."

"Hello, there." A shadow passed over Mr. Nikos's face as he realized who these two children were. "Perhaps you can visit our home sometime for dinner, if High Priest Ozpin allows it."

Both children perked up, and Ozpin smiled. "Of course, they can."

As Pyrrha took her father's hand and started down the path, she noticed something that caused her to stop in her tracks. "Father, look!" she gasped.

It was the golden-yellow fox. The Seeker Fox. Her fox. He was just picking up the fried tofu she had left at the beginning of the day. As he turned back toward the forest, he noticed her. His ears perked up, and his tail wagged.

"Thank you for saving me," Pyrrha called. She wasn't even surprised when the fox seemed to bow his head in response. She watched as he left his statue and returned to the forest.

"You know," her father said as they walked home. "It's good to be careful with foxes. While many of them are good, like the ones at the shrine, there are those who play bad tricks on people. They might even shapeshift into human forms to fool you."

"Really?" Pyrrha gasped.

"Really," her father affirmed. "However, they can't get rid of their tails when they transform. That's how you tell."

"How come they can't hide their tails?"

"All magic has limits. Just keep your eyes open and avoid anyone who looks like they might have a tail, fox or otherwise." Her father winked. "Just in case."

"Okay." Pyrrha wasn't concerned, of course. The foxes at the shrine wouldn't play any bad tricks on her, and she already knew for a fact that she could trust the Seeker with her life.

"I hope you're ready for your evening exercises," her father continued. "You need to get those muscles strong if you ever hope to join the Imperial Army someday."

Pyrrha suppressed a sigh, resigning herself to yet another exhausting evening. "Yes, Father…"

 **So, this fic is mostly going to be a friendship story, holding off on the romance until the last chapter. I firmly believe that it's possible to have healthy romantic stories involving mortals and immortals, if certain rules are followed.**

 **First of all, the immortal should not use his or her powers to gain an edge over the mortal and make it easier to seduce them, especially if that involves manipulation of the mind/pheromones. (*cough cough*** _ **Wicked Lovely**_ ***cough*)**

 **Second, if the immortal knows the mortal before he or she grows up completely, the relationship has to be totally platonic until much later. If the immortal is fantasizing about when the mortal comes of age and is making plans of a romantic/sexual nature for when that happens, that's a HELL NO from me. (** _ **Twilight**_ **, I am looking at you! You and your freaking creeper wolves… Don't try telling me that the Imprinting relationship is platonic until the woman grows up, and then it magically shifts! The wolf KNOWS he's gonna bone her later. It's creepy, okay? *holds back one of many rants on the subject*)**

… **Now that I think about it, most of these horrible dynamics are occurring in YA novels. What the hell are we trying to teach teens about romance?!**

 **Note: My knowledge of the god/goddess Inari is limited to what I've found online. I know that they can take on various forms, and is a deity of foxes, harvest, and is also known for protecting soldiers. The Chinese version of this deity, Huxian, takes the form of a nine-tailed white fox, hence Pyrrha's dream in this chapter. My library is sadly lacking in books on Shinto deities. If I misrepresent Inari in any way as I write this fic, I apologize and hope that someone more knowledgeable will correct me.**

 **If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	2. Hunted Fox

**Hello, everybody! We're here with another dose of kitsune goodness! This is such a fun fic for me. I love that I get to experiment with new ideas now that my beloved "Shattered Moon" is over.**

 **Enjoy!**

There were certain rules an immortal being needed to follow, so that they didn't go mad or put themselves in danger. "Don't get too attached to a mortal" was one of the biggest ones to keep in mind.

Of course, Jaune had never been one for following rules.

From the moment he saved that girl in front of the temple, he knew that a bond was forming, and that it would only grow stronger with time. He knew this girl, Pyrrha, would become very special to him. He wasn't sure how. Maybe he would be a guardian of sorts to her. Maybe she would look to him for counsel and advice. Maybe she would become a priestess of Inari.

Whatever it was, he was determined to keep an eye on her. She came to the temple every other day to help the kindly High Priest. Jaune kept his distance as the children did their chores and played afterward.

During the last hour before the girl's father came, she would sit under Jaune's statue, the "Seeker," as the humans called it. There, she would place an offering and wait.

It was then that Jaune would always emerge. He would walk over and take the offering, his nose so close to brushing Pyrrha's leg. Yet, she never tried to pet him the way other children often did when he ventured to close. She just watched him, keeping her hands respectfully folded.

So, of course, it didn't take long (in immortal terms) for Jaune to allow her to touch him.

It was Pyrrha's third spring at the shrine. She was seven years old, approaching eight very quickly. As always, she waited under the statue, watching as Jaune devoured his fried tofu and rice cake by the bushes. Her eyes widened a little when he walked back over to her.

He lay down right next to her, tail swishing in the grass. Ever so carefully, he touched her wrist with his nose before resting his head on his crossed forepaws.

Her hand tentatively stroked his brow a few times before she was relaxed enough to pet him fully. She scratched gently behind his ears, combed her fingers through his silky fur, running her hand down his back.

Jaune let out a yawn, closing his eyes and snuggling against her side. He could understand why dogs enjoyed this so much. Being pet was soothing and brought back memories of when his mother would lick his brow and groom his fur. At one point, he rolled onto his back so that she could scratch the white fur on his belly.

When he returned to the forest, his oldest sister was waiting for him, the one who was called the "Queen." He just knew her as Mary.

"Be careful, little brother," she warned. "Loving a mortal only leads to heartbreak."

"She's a kid," Jaune protested. "I just want to be her friend."

"Children grow up, and feelings change, especially when you enter the messy affairs of mortals and immortals."

"I know, but I can't just stop seeing her!" Jaune insisted. "She talks to me, you know, about stuff she won't tell anyone else, about how her parents are training her to join the army when she grows up, how she goes to bed late most of the time… She's a seven-year-old kid, and they've already decided what she's going to do with her life!"

"That's not uncommon with humans. They do what they must to survive, as do we." Mary paused to scratch an itch behind her ear. "Even if their social systems are more complicated."

"I'm not staying away," Jaune said stubbornly, his tail bristling and his ears flattening.

His sister gave him a long look, then breathed a sigh. "No, I suppose you won't. You're already attached." Her eyes became sad. "Do mind your heart, little brother. Yours was always the most fragile in the family."

Jaune let out a loud snort of indignation and didn't relax his posture until he knew his sister was truly gone. He stared at the ground, his eyes narrow with frustration. Of course, he knew his sister was right, but what could he do? He was already devoted to this child. Whatever happened, he knew that he would protect her with his life. And, when the time came when she died of old age or some other affliction, he would fall into a period of mourning that would last anywhere from ten to a hundred years.

That was the way of things. If an immortal loves someone, they love someone completely and utterly, regardless of what form that love may take.

For the next few years, that love remained that of a friend and protector. Jaune continued to wait for Pyrrha at the temple and listen to her as she told him about her life, rolling onto his back so that she could scratch the white fur on his belly. Over time, he started coming out earlier and earlier, until he finally decided to join in on the playtime shared by Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora.

The four ran through the forest together, pretending to be anything from ninjas to pirates to noble-hearted bandits. Nora made a flag with old rice paper and declared that the forest was their territory. Jaune chuckled privately at this but played along. It was all harmless, after all.

The tanuki who lived on the border of the foxes' territory started making fun of him, asking if he was turning into a lap dog. He would bare his teeth at them, sending them scampering back into their hiding places, still giggling.

When Pyrrha was ten, she and Nora were both gone from spring until winter.

Jaune had learned about this beforehand when Pyrrha tearfully told him that she and Nora were going to a special training program for army hopefuls. Nora was excited about it and had chosen to go after joining Pyrrha for training over the past few months. However, there had been a somber attitude even in her that day. Jaune suspected that it was due to her realizing that Ren wouldn't be joining them. He watched as she shared a long hug with her best friend, who tapped her nose as they drew away from each other. This only made her look even sadder.

"Goodbye, Seeker," Pyrrha whispered as she was led away. "Don't forget me,"

"Take care of Ren while I'm gone," Nora begged.

Jaune bowed his head and joined Ren and Ozpin by the temple, allowing his tail to brush the boy's ankle, sensing the effort it took to keep a straight face as the two girls vanished from sight.

 _Mistress Inari,_ he prayed, calling to mind the form of a white, nine-tailed vixen. _Please look after them. Protect them when I cannot._

He felt a slight rustling in his fur and knew his prayer had been heard.

In the winter, Nora returned. Jaune snuck into the village and looked into Pyrrha's house. She too was safe, though he could see a tiredness in her posture and a scar on her cheek. He thanked Inari and went back home.

When Nora told him that she and Pyrrha would be returning to the school again in mid-spring, Jaune started sneaking into the village every day. Pyrrha still wasn't allowed to come to the temple in the cold months, so he would have to go to her to make up for lost time.

Pyrrha let out an exclamation of joy when he first appeared on her doorstep, and was quick to sneak him to her room, where she fed him snacks from the kitchen and told him about her experiences at the school.

The more Jaune listened, the more he knew that Pyrrha didn't want the life her parents were forming for her. She didn't want the power and prestige of being a soldier. And she didn't need it. As far as Jaune could see, the Nikos family lived in a nice house, were warm, and were nowhere close to starving. For someone like Nora, who was living on the goodwill of a priest and likely wanted to make her own way in the world, joining the army made sense. For the Nikos family, it seemed to be mostly about the money and status. Why were they so eager for their daughter to join the military for something they already had a good amount of?

"Humans always want more, little brother," one of his sisters said when he brought it up. "It's in their nature. Nothing is ever enough."

That wasn't completely true. Jaune knew on a deep level that his company was enough to bring up Pyrrha's spirits, to give her hope even when she was at her saddest and loneliest.

When spring came again, she hugged Jaune tightly, sobbing into his fur. "I missed you so much last year," she sniffled. "You, Ozpin, Ren, the temple, and the other foxes… I don't want to leave."

Jaune whined softly, nuzzling her shoulder, wishing there was some way for him to follow her to the training school and look after her. But he knew that other towns might not be as friendly toward his kind. It was already a time when transforming into his human form was incredibly dangerous. Worse still, he could attract unwanted attention to Pyrrha and Nora. So, he resigned himself to waiting until winter with Ren yet again.

It was a good thing he did, as he became Ren's closest companion during these times. Jaune soon decided that, if it seemed like Ren needed him to, he would gladly break the "no talking to humans" rule. Ren seemed content with his silent company, however, so it was never necessary.

It didn't become necessary until the children were sixteen.

The year was shaping up to be a good one: Pyrrha and Nora wouldn't have to leave for the training school again. They had both been placed on two-year service, meaning that they would live in their homes, but would have to be ready to respond to a call to duty when summoned. The girls showed off their uniforms for him, Ren, and Ozpin. Jaune couldn't help but notice that Pyrrha's posture seemed more stone-like than Nora's, which seemed more natural and fluid.

"It's not what I want," she admitted later on, when she and Jaune were alone by the statue. She was scratching behind his left ear as he licked mochi from his teeth. "The army is a respectable calling, to be sure, and Nora seems to find satisfaction in it. If our country was ever truly threatened, I'd gladly enlist to protect my home and family, but…I don't want to join if I don't need to. During training, we went to several different towns. That was my favorite thing, the traveling. I wish I could just travel from place to place, maybe as a merchant or storyteller."

Jaune let out an excited yip. He liked storytellers, even if they sometimes told unflattering tales about his kind.

Pyrrha laughed. "You like that idea, don't you?" She rubbed under his chin. "Maybe you can come with me. Though, I doubt you want to leave the temple. I'd come back and visit, regardless."

Jaune thought about it. It was true that he was bound to the temple, but he could easily ask Inari to release him, and it wasn't as if he couldn't encourage worship of her wherever he went. _We could look for old shrines that need reviving and reaffirm people's beliefs._ It was a nice idea, and if there was ever a mortal he'd be happy to travel with, it was Pyrrha.

At this point, it was easy to see the beautiful woman she was becoming. At times, Jaune found himself thinking of his sister's warning of how his feelings might change.

For the time being, his feelings were still entirely platonic. Pyrrha was almost a woman, but not quite. She was a child who needed a friend, and that was what he would be. If he did start seeing her differently later on, he would decide what to do then. For the moment, he could see two futures in equal clarity: There was one where he did fall in love with an older Pyrrha, revealed his human form to her, and had several long-lived, magically-gifted descendants. There was another where he remained a close friend and companion who watched over Pyrrha and her family, if she chose to marry and have children, and would move on to care for her children and grandchildren as he had cared for her.

Both futures, of course, carried the looming threat of Pyrrha dying and Jaune continuing on through the next several centuries without her. He tried to not think about that part.

It was then that Ozpin hurried out of the temple, calling to Pyrrha. When he saw Jaune, he quickly bowed. "Seeker, you need to hide. Do you understand?"

Jaune stood up, his ears twitching and his tail bristling. What did he need to hide from? Was someone threatening his friends?

"What's going on?" Pyrrha asked, standing up.

"Your father just arrived. He says that there's a posse coming to hunt the foxes here."

Jaune growled nervously. He and his sisters were still young, only possessing one tail each. They could transform into a human form, and a humanoid version of their fox forms, and appeal to Inari for blessings, but not much else. An older fox could probably incinerate any hostile humans with just a look, but the only other magical beings in the area were the tanuki, who were utterly useless in a fight.

"Why in the world would they do that?" Pyrrha asked.

"Apparently, the butcher's son has been bewitched," Ozpin explained, though his voice and expression said that he didn't believe such rubbish. "He saw a woman bathing in the woods, a woman with a gold fox tail who ran away when he saw her, and became infatuated. Babbled about it for days in the marketplace. He vanished last night."

Pyrrha frowned. "I do remember seeing him going on about something when I was shopping the other day."

Jaune whimpered, looking up at her. She couldn't honestly think his sisters would bewitch someone, could she? He already knew which sister it was. His third-oldest sister, known as the Hunter, enjoyed bathing in her human form. She said that the water felt nicer on skin than on fur, as did the sun when she dried off. And she hadn't done anything to bewitch some human. _Sounds like he saw her and became obsessed._

"Of course, I don't think any fox here would do that," Pyrrha assured her friend. "I know the stories about bad fox spirits, but I also know that none of the foxes here are evil. I do know the butcher's son, however. He's a disgusting lecher. It sounds likely that he's deeply in lust, not bewitched."

"Please hurry, Seeker!" Ozpin urged Jaune. "Run and hide. Until the butcher's son is found, there's no telling what a fearful mob will do if they see you."

Jaune nodded once, running into the brambles. He didn't make it far before a horrible thought occurred to him. _Disgusting lecher…vanished last night…_ His eyes widened. He only hesitated a moment before reemerging and calling out to his retreating friend. "Pyrrha Nikos!"

Pyrrha froze, as did Ozpin, who only looked at Jaune for a moment before bowing his head and returning to the temple alone. Pyrrha, on the other hand, only looked stunned for a second before hurrying to Jaune's side.

"What is it, Seeker? Do you need my help?"

"My sister didn't put a spell on that man," Jaune insisted. "I'm worried about her, though. What if that human vanished last night because he's trying to find her?"

Pyrrha's eyes widened with horror. "Where is she now?"

"Come on." Jaune led Pyrrha into the forest.

The foxes of the temple were independent creatures, who all had their own territories within the forest. It wasn't uncommon for Jaune to not see one or all of them for several days. Still, he knew the places where Autumn liked to bathe, and was determined to find her before the lecherous man did.

They neared the stream, and Jaune sniffed the air. There was only a stale scent of his sister, so they moved on. As he ran, he let out loud, quick yips, hoping that they would carry to either Autumn, or one of his other sisters.

When they drew close to the small pond near the edge of the territory, Jaune caught the scent of his sister, as well as an unfamiliar human. His ears flattened. "They're both here!"

"I won't let him near her," Pyrrha promised as she sprinted ahead.

The two skidded to a halt in the clearing, where a man stood. Just a few years older than Pyrrha, he looked like he had a permanent sneer on his face at all times. A tooth was missing in the front. Later on, Pyrrha would explain that it had been knocked out by a woman he tried and failed to grope in the next town over.

Just then, however, they were entirely focused on the struggling fox that the man was holding by the scruff. A knife was pressed against her white throat.

Jaune's ears flattened as rage filled his blood. There was nothing he or Autumn could do. They could transform, but that was the most dangerous thing his sister could do just then.

"Don't interfere!" the butcher's son snapped when he saw Pyrrha. "This fox is mine. She showed herself to me, so she's mine!"

Pyrrha's eyes flashed. "You walked in on her bathing. The only thing owed from that is an aversion of the eyes and a polite apology when it first happened."

"What do you know?" he scoffed. "Little goody-goody spending all her time at the temple. They've probably got you thinking we should be worshipping these beasts." His grip on Autumn's fur tightened. "But they're just flesh and blood, like us. That flesh is the only thing worth worshipping."

"You call this worship?" Pyrrha spat. "You're disgusting." Her legs tensed, but she didn't dare try an attack while that knife was pressed against the vixen's neck.

Jaune's nose twitched. He could detect other scents approaching. One was a fox. The others were definitely not foxes. He noticed a rustling in the bushes, saw a glint of eyes, and nodded once in understanding. He stepped forward, barking angrily at the man.

"Hey, you shut up!" he snapped, pointing his knife at Jaune.

In that moment, Mary sprang out of the bushes and sank her teeth into the man's ankle. He let out a cry, the knife and Autumn falling from his hands as he spun around to grab at his attacker.

Immediately, Pyrrha lunged for him while Autumn hurried to her brother's side. "Jaune!" she gasped. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for!" Jaune said fiercely. "Come on."

"Not that way," a new voice hissed before the masked face of a tanuki peered out from behind a tree. "Follow me."

The foxes glanced at each other before obeying. Jaune looked over his shoulder at Pyrrha, who was easily overpowering her opponent, then hurried to where the tanuki was.

"Hold still." Up close, Jaune could see that it was an older female, and that several other tanuki were gathered nearby, hidden in the bushes. He watched as the old tanuki put a leaf on top of her head and sat back on her haunches, closing her eyes and humming in the back of her throat.

Autumn let out a gasp. "Look at us!"

Jaune turned to his sister, only to see a tanuki standing next to him. He looked at his paws, which had turned brown, and let out a gasp. _An illusion._ He knew that the tanuki could make complicated illusions, and transform themselves into several forms, but had never actually seen the ones here do so, outside of their occasional drunken jaunts in their half-human forms.

More scents approached, all human. Ozpin's voice rang above all. "Please see reason! The shrine foxes are harmless!"

"Act natural," the old tanuki whispered before blending into the bark of the tree.

Jaune and Autumn obeyed and started sniffing around and digging in the earth like the other tanuki. Seconds later, the mob appeared.

By this point, Pyrrha had the butcher's son subdued, and was holding him by the ear. "I found him," she said, giving a look of undisguised disgust. "He clearly needs to have his head examined."

"My son has been bewitched!" the butcher growled. "The only cure is to find the beast that did it and kill it!"

"If she won't become a human again, she's no good to me," his son muttered sullenly. "Go ahead and kill her. She's right there!" He pointed at Jaune and Autumn.

Before Jaune could even react, Pyrrha snapped "That is clearly a tanuki! See what I mean? He needs mental help, and he certainly shouldn't be wandering the woods alone."

The butcher's son tried to shake out of her grasp. "Don't even try it. Both of the foxes are right there! Look!"

The other humans, however, were shaking their heads, looking at the tanuki and frowning. They didn't see any foxes.

 _She's not letting the illusion affect him specifically,_ Jaune realized. _She must be powerful._

The butcher looked at the tanuki, then at his son before lowering his cleaver. "Come on, boy," he grumbled. "You've embarrassed me enough today."

Pyrrha was all too glad to hand her captive over to his father, wiping her hand on her shirt as if it had been dirtied. She cast a concerned glance toward the tanuki before following the other humans out of the forest.

Once the scent had faded, the old tanuki revealed herself again, letting out a groan. "That takes up a lot of energy…" At the same time, Jaune and Autumn assumed their natural forms, and Mary slipped out of the shadows.

"Thank you, ma'am," she said, bowing her head. "We are all in your debt."

"Oh, think nothing of it," the old tanuki chuckled. "And call me Granny. Everyone here does."

"Granny, I'd be honored to share my offerings with you," Autumn piped up.

"Me too!" Jaune added.

"Our whole family will share our offerings with your people from now on," Mary said formally. "And, I hope we can be better friends in the future."

"Well, I wouldn't say no to some cake," the tanuki chuckled.

"And tempura!" a younger one called out.

"Oh, and sake!" cried another.

"We don't get any sake," Jaune informed them. "That all goes to Inari."

"Well, I wouldn't want to steal from a god!" the old tanuki said with a wink. "Just bring us the sweet things, then. Keep your fried tofu. I know how much you foxes love it. We'd better go home for now, though. I need a nice nap after that."

After the tanuki left, Autumn looked up at Mary. "Will we be able to transform ourselves into other forms and make mirages like that someday?"

"Someday," Mary said. "When we've lived longer. Maybe once we have two tails."

Jaune was looking at the path when Mary cleared her throat to get his attention. "Huh?"

"You spoke to her," she said sternly.

"I did." There was no point denying it. "She's a friend."

"I know," Mary murmured. "I'm just worried about what's going to happen next for you two."

Jaune looked toward the path where Pyrrha and the other humans had gone. Her lingering scent mingled with that of the forest, the tanuki, and the foxes. It was a scent that belonged there just as much as that of pine sap or musky fur.

He looked back at his sister with a smile. "I'm not worried at all!"

 **I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Isao Takahata, who died April 5, 2018 of lung cancer. He and Hayao Miyazaki are the two great pillars of Studio Ghibli, with Takahata writing and directing films such as "Grave of the Fireflies," "Pom Poko," and "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya." Back when I was coming up with this fic, I played with the idea of having tanuki appear, as legends surrounding them are similar to those surrounding kitsune. After Takahata's death, I made the tanuki more prominent, as a reference to "Pom Poko."**

 **Rest well, Isao Takahata. The world has lost yet another great creative mind.**

 **If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	3. Wise Fox

**Hello, again! We're back with another dose of foxy goodness. Enjoy!**

The following day, Pyrrha came to the shrine as she always did. As always, she did her chores along with Ren and Nora. As always, they walked through the woods together with Jaune padding beside them. They no longer made obstacle courses or acted like pirates the way they did a few years ago, which disappointed Jaune a bit.

The fox was silent throughout the day, until he was alone with Pyrrha by his statue.

"Do they know?" he asked.

Pyrrha shook her head. "It's your place to tell them, if you want to."

"Thanks," Jaune murmured. He rested his head on his paws, closing his eyes as Pyrrha's familiar fingers began to stroke his fur. His tail swished back and forth lazily in the grass. "Are you surprised?"

"That you can talk? No," Pyrrha said calmly. "I always knew you were special. Many people claim to believe in magic but try explaining it away when they actually see it. I've been coming to this temple for years. I mean it whenever I pray to Inari. So, knowing his servants are actually magical isn't a surprise at all."

"She hears you," Jaune told her. "When you pray to her. She hears me when I pray for you too."

"You call Inari a woman," Pyrrha noted. "I always thought Inari was a man."

"Inari's a god." Jaune parted his jaws in a wide yawn. "She takes whatever form she wants, man, woman, or something else. I just always see her in my mind as a nine-tailed white vixen."

Pyrrha looked sharply at Jaune. "I've dreamed about that vixen before. I asked Ozpin, and he said that it was likely a spirit representing Inari."

"Nope," Jaune said calmly. "It was Inari herself."

"I see." Pyrrha stared into the trees, her expression becoming one of confusion. "Why would a god appear to someone like me?"

"Someone like you?"

"I mean, I'm just a girl from a small town who's too cowardly to tell her parents that she doesn't want to be on the path they've set her on." She smiled at Jaune. "I suppose I can attribute Inari's attention to my friendship with a certain fox."

Jaune shook his head adamantly, sitting up. "That's not true! You're an incredible person. I've been listening to your hopes and dreams for years, so I have it on good authority, okay? Inari chooses who she wants to protect. Besides, if anyone's ordinary, it's me."

"You?!" Pyrrha let out a laugh. "A plain, ordinary, immortal talking fox."

"That's just it," Jaune pointed out. "That's the only thing amazing about me. I'm magic. I serve a god. If I wasn't a fox, if I'd been born a human without the potential for magic, I'd be a nobody. I mean, I couldn't even protect my sister. I had to rely on a human and an old tanuki."

"You don't have to be a fighter to be special," Pyrrha retorted. "You've done more for me than anyone, and you didn't have to. You brought me happiness when nothing else could. You saved my life when I was a child. You will never be ordinary."

Jaune's ear flicked, and he realized just how pointless this conversation was. They both had their insecurities, while being equally convinced that the other was an avatar of perfection. He decided to change the subject. "I didn't expect that from the tanuki the other day," he admitted. "Foxes and tanuki usually don't get along. Now, I'm sharing my offerings with them." He glanced at the cake he hadn't touched. "That reminds me. I should probably take this to Granny."

"May I come with you?" Pyrrha asked. "I'd like to meet them. I saw them cast that illusion over you yesterday."

"Ah, that's why you played along so well," Jaune noted. "Sure, come on." He picked up the rice cake in his teeth and led the way into the forest.

As they approached the territory of the tanuki, they could hear several voices singing what sounded like a children's rhyme. Pyrrha listened for a moment before smiling. "I know this song. The village children sing it."

Stepping forward, she sang into the trees: "Tanuki-san, tanuki-san, can you play with me somehow?"

Immediately, a chorus of eager voices replied: "No, we can't. We're eating dinner now!"

Pyrrha covered her mouth, letting out an excited and delighted noise. "What's for dinner? I want some?"

"We are eating pickled plum."

"Could you spare a little crumb?"

"Don't be such a greedy bum. Get your own!" The voices dissolved into laughter, and Pyrrha thought she saw a comical, almost humanoid creature do a somersault through the grass before hiding once more.

Jaune smiled up at her before putting down the rice cake. "Speaking of dinner, I have a gift for Granny."

A smaller tanuki trotted out, baring his tiny fangs in a grin. "Well, if it isn't the lap-fox and his mistress."

Jaune bristled but held his tongue.

"Aw, I don't mean anything by it," the tanuki snickered. "Just messing around. Found a real pretty one, too. Good for you."

"Watch it," Jaune growled. "She's still a kid."

"Right, right. Sorry about that." The tanuki had the good grace to look ashamed. "I'll take this to Granny. She's napping right now."

"Tell her hi for me," Jaune said, immediately gentling his expression.

"Will do!" Perfectly chipper again, the tanuki picked up the rice cake and padded off.

As Jaune and Pyrrha walked through the forest, Pyrrha glanced down at her companion. "Do you really see me as a kid?"

"Yeah," Jaune replied. "I'm a few decades old, so don't take it personally. If it helps, you're not a kid-kid anymore, but you're not a grown woman yet."

"I see." Pyrrha paused before asking something that had been on her mind since the previous day. "Do you have a human form?"

"Yes."

"Can I-?"

"No," Jaune cut in. "Not now." The experience with the butcher's son had reminded him of something: humans found foxes to be incredibly beautiful. Even if Jaune didn't think much of himself, he knew that it would be all to easy to seduce a human woman with his looks alone. That was exactly what he wanted to avoid, especially with Pyrrha.

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha said quickly, ducking her head. "I shouldn't have asked."

"You apologize too much," Jaune commented. "Anyway, I don't think it's a good idea now. Maybe in a few years."

"If I'm still here by then," Pyrrha said glumly.

"You can be. Once your two-year probation is up, just say you're not interested in joining fully. You're allowed to do that at this stage, right?"

"I am, but my parents are counting on me."

"They'll get over it," Jaune insisted. "Pyrrha, I've known you for years. If there are two negative things about you, it's that you apologize too much, and that you do too much to please others and not enough for yourself."

Pyrrha sighed. "I have to do this for them. They've been so good to me and gave me every opportunity they could."

"Good for them! They did what all parents are supposed to do. It doesn't mean they get to control your life. That's why it's your life and not theirs."

"That…" Pyrrha paused, frowning thoughtfully. "That's a good point."

"Think about it," Jaune urged. "You do have two years, after all. And you can always talk to me if you need to."

"Well, I've always known that," Pyrrha said, her smile returning. "Thank you, Seeker."

"My name is Jaune." Without even thinking, he broke another rule. "Jaune Arc." _I can't show her my human form, but I can show her that I trust her._

Pyrrha stopped dead in her tracks. Everyone knew the power names had in the realm of spirits and immortals. Her heart pounded at the sheer amount of faith her friend had just placed in her. "I won't tell a soul," she promised. After a moment, she asked: "Why Jaune Arc?"

"Because Arc is our family name, like an arced tail, you know?" Jaune explained. "As for my first name, my mom liked it." He grinned. "What? Did you think we all had super mystical names?"

"Honestly, yes," Pyrrha admitted, her cheeks flushing.

Jaune snickered. "Nah, only really powerful beings can earn cool names like Soul-Devourer or Fire-of-the-Heavens."

"Do you actually know someone named Soul-Devourer?"

"No, but it would be a pretty awesome name, don't you think? Maybe when I get a few more tails…"

The two were still laughing as they approached the border of the forest, where Jaune quieted down. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said.

"Bye." Pyrrha started to leave, then paused as she remembered something. "Oh, is there anything in particular you want me to bring as an offering?"

"More fried tofu, and those little mochi candies. I love those. And something sweet for the tanuki. Actually…" Jaune thought back to his conversation with Granny. "Are you old enough to get sake?"

"I mean, I can't purchase it, but I could get my hands on some." Her father had sake in the cellar, and she could probably sneak a little.

"Okay. The tanuki really like it."

"In that case, I'll try to at least get enough for the one. Granny, wasn't it?" Pyrrha smiled. "You know, I'm not surprised that there's magic like this on my doorstep, but it's still incredible to actually experience it. Bye, Jaune."

"Bye," Jaune called. He only realized seconds later how rapidly his tail was wagging.

Pyrrha's time at the temple became even more enjoyable in the following months. Now, afternoons consisted of exploring the forest with Jaune, playing with the tanuki, and having long, two-sided conversations.

One evening in late autumn, Jaune was reading a book, which Pyrrha flipped whenever he flicked an ear at her. As he reached the end of the story he was reading, he looked up. "I don't like this one."

Pyrrha looked at the text. "Ah, that's a sad one."

"Why do all the stories with humans and foxes have sad or horrifying endings?" Jaune grumbled. "Yeah, some foxes play tricks and hurt people, but we aren't all like that."

"Humans are fascinated with things that are horrible," Pyrrha explained. "It's why we love ghost stories so much. And there's a certain beauty to tragedy."

"I think happiness is more beautiful," Jaune said. "I mean, there's enough sad and horrible things going on in real life."

"I agree." Pyrrha closed the book and invited Jaune into her lap, where he curled up contentedly. "There are some stories with humans and foxes with better endings, though they're usually more bittersweet."

"How so?" Jaune asked, nuzzling against her abdomen as she scratched his ears.

"Well, it's usually about a man marrying a fox without knowing it. When he discovers her true form, she is forced to leave, though she keeps watching over her family from a distance."

"That's still sad."

"It is." Pyrrha hesitated before asking: "Is that why you don't want me to see your human form? Would you have to go away if I saw it? Did your sister leave this area for good?"

"No, that's not it." Jaune let out a sigh. "You know the stories about how attractive foxes are when they shapeshift, right?"

"Of course." Pyrrha frowned. "You don't think I'd react like the butcher's son, do you?"

"No, of course not!" Jaune assured her. "I know you'd never do what he did, but you might still become infatuated. There's a big power imbalance between mortals and immortals, and it's way too easy to take advantage of, even if the immortal isn't trying to." He fixed her with a firm look. "I've been protecting you since you were five. I don't want to hurt you or take advantage of you."

Pyrrha felt a flush of indignation. "Jaune, I'm not a simple child who would fall for you just by looking at you! Even though I'm not grown legally, I'm still old enough to have a level head. And don't forget that I'm on probation in the army. I could get called to solve a dispute at any time. There have been rumors of bandit attacks on the road to Kuroyuri, and I may be called to stop them. If I'm old enough to risk my life, don't you think I'm old enough to handle something like this."

Jaune ducked his head, feeling chastened. "I wasn't trying to talk down to you… I know how strong you are."

"I know." Pyrrha placed a hand on his back. "If you're uncomfortable assuming your human form, that's one thing. I won't ask you to do something you don't want to do. Just don't think you need to protect me from yourself."

Jaune was quiet for the rest of their time together. When Pyrrha stood up to return to the temple, he called out to her. "Wait."

When Pyrrha turned to look at him, she let out a gasp. Her golden-yellow fox was no longer standing there. Instead, there was a tall young man with golden-yellow hair, sky blue eyes, and a giant, bushy fox tail swishing the ground at his feet. He flashed her a surprisingly awkward grin that immediately put her at ease.

There was just one thing that kept the image from being as majestic as it could have been.

"Jaune, why are you wearing a women's kimono?"

"Huh?" Jaune looked down at the kimono, which was long, white, and had pale blue flower patterns and a blue sash tying it. "This is for women? I always wear this when I transform." He frowned, thinking back to just how enthusiastic his sisters had been when he had settled on this outfit. "I could think of something else…"

"No, no. It's fine," Pyrrha said, her eyes alight with mirth as she suppressed a giggle. "It suits you. It really does." Stepping forward, she hugged him tightly, smiling when she felt strong, silk-clad arms hugging her back. "Thank you for trusting me, Jaune. It really means a great deal."

"Don't mention it." Jaune didn't want to let go. He had never been able to hug Pyrrha like this as a fox, and he found that he quite liked it. Still, he stepped back and turned back into his fox form as he watched his friend vanish into the trees.

Pyrrha was quiet as she walked toward the path to town. Then, she stopped and went back into the temple. "Ozpin?" she called.

"Ah, Pyrrha." Ozpin looked up from the main Inari shrine, whose candles he had just finished lighting. "Did you need something else?"

Pyrrha sat down on one of the cushions. "Sir, did you always want to be a priest?"

"No," Ozpin replied. "There are some, like Ren, who grow up wanting to do it. I didn't realize that I wanted this until I was in my forties. Before, I was in the Imperial Army." When Pyrrha gaped at him, he chuckled. "Yes, I had quite the life before. I fought many battles, saved many people. But I also killed many people and failed many more." He stood up from the altar. "I retired with more money than I knew what to do with."

He looked at the fox statues fondly. "I did some thinking and realized that it was always Inari I turned to in my time of need. I prayed to him before battle, when I was scared, and when I was confused. So, I returned to my home town and had this temple built. When I first saw the golden foxes, I knew I had made the right decision."

"What would you have done if people had tried telling you to go down a different path?" Pyrrha asked.

Ozpin's eyes glinted. "I would have told them that my decisions are my own. Regardless of your beliefs concerning reincarnation, you only live this life once. You will only ever be the person you are now once, in all the thousands of years before and after this time. Therefore, you need to do what you feel is right and be Pyrrha Nikos as much as you can be, whatever that ends up meaning."

Pyrrha thought long and hard about Ozpin's words, and about Jaune's. She thought about it as she fell asleep that night. She thought about it while putting on her uniform to answer the late-night call concerning the bandit attacks. She thought about it even as she and Nora stood together against the bandits, fighting for their lives. She thought about it as her mind became bleary, as blood ran down her side. She thought about it when she woke up in a hospice bed later on, Nora sobbing into her arm.

Once she was able to walk, she limped to where her commander was and informed him that, after her two years, she would not be enlisting.

He frowned. "I know that was a bad injury, Pyrrha, and the first time is always jarring. But you're such a promising recruit. Don't make a hasty decision out of fear."

"I'm not," Pyrrha promised. "I can assure you that I'm not."

She thought of her home, of being there without having to worry about drills or battles. She imagined getting a job in town, maybe with the blacksmith, and saving up enough money to travel. She thought about visiting Jaune, Ozpin, Ren, and Nora every day after work, helping Nora with her continued training, watching Ren become a priest of Inari.

Never before had the path stretching out into the future looked so promising.

 **I had another** _ **Pom Poko**_ **shoutout here. I just had to use the tanuki song at some point in this fic!**

 **It's interesting how many different things can come up when researching deities. Most online sources I find concerning Inari depict them as being any gender. Some people have said that Inari is purely male, while several worshippers have referred to Inari as a female. Personally, I feel that beings like gods aren't limited by gender. Then again, I don't worship any gods, so I'm certainly no expert on the subject. Either way, I strive to be respectful when religion is brought into play, even in the background of a story.**

 **Next week will be the finale of the story, and the romance you guys have been waiting for.**

 **If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	4. Beloved Fox

**Happy Friday, everyone! Today is the fourth and last chapter of this little fic. Here, there shall be Arkos! This was a fun idea to explore, and I'm glad you guys have enjoyed it.**

On the day Pyrrha turned eighteen, she packed a bag with all of her important possessions and made her way to the Temple of Inari, where she would be living until she could afford something else.

Her parents had begged and pleaded with her to reconsider her decision to not enlist. When she remained adamant, her father responded by saying that she needed to leave on her eighteenth birthday. "An adult must support herself," he said firmly. "Maybe realizing that will make you think more about your future."

Pyrrha didn't bring up the fact that most people remained with their parents until they married, or that her parents had obviously planned to house her when she joined the army. She just went to Ozpin, asking if he had room for one more person. He accepted her gladly.

He couldn't pay her for the help she gave him at the temple, of course, so Pyrrha had to seek employment in town, eventually hiring on with the local woodcutter, who welcomed her strength and assistance in chopping trees into logs and carrying the heavy loads back to his shop. Every week, she filled a box under her bed with money. During her days off, she researched how much it would cost to buy a good horse, and what materials she would need for a life on the road.

No matter what, however, she made sure that she had time to spend with Nora and Ren, and time with Jaune.

On the day she first returned from her battle with the bandits, her beloved fox had remained curled up against her side, his body warming her bandaged wound. When she told him that she wouldn't be joining the army after all, he had licked her face with relief.

Over time, he started taking on his human form more often when Pyrrha visited. He showed off different outfits, most of which were women's kimonos or fancy dresses, and took her to the tanuki's territory for evening parties.

The tanuki, it turned out, could also shapeshift into humans, though they preferred a more humanoid version of their natural forms. They looked both comical and terrifying as they blundered about, giant raccoon dogs on two legs, juggling or drinking or eating with perfectly-formed hands.

"Do you have a half-human form like that?" Pyrrha once asked.

Jaune responded by standing up fluidly, his fur sprouting and his face turning vulpine while his upright stance and size didn't change. He laughed, showing off his sharp canines, at the stunned look on Pyrrha's face. "Yeah, I do," he said. "It's just not a form I take a lot. I mean, most humans in this time period would faint if they saw this."

Pyrrha let out a breathless laugh. "I can't imagine why."

After that, Jaune switched easily between his three forms, and was relieved to see that Pyrrha treated him the same regardless of which shape he took. Their relationship remained that of two devoted friends, even with the arrival of Pyrrha's adulthood.

It would be another two years before the shift toward romance occurred, when Pyrrha was twenty years old.

It was after a long day of work. Pyrrha had just cleaned herself and was sitting in the forest with Jaune in his human form, her hair damp as they sat together in a patch of sunlight. At one point, Jaune let out a yawn and lay down on his stomach. He rested his head on his folded arms, and his tail flicked back and forth lazily. Pyrrha's familiar scent filled him, along with that of the forest, and he was more than happy to just stay there forever, feeling the sun soaking into his skin.

Pyrrha looked down at him, noting with a smile how his current pose was almost identical to when he would rest next to her in his fox form, head on his crossed paws as she scratched his ears. Before she had a moment to think about it, her hand was already on his head, and she gently started combing her fingers through his hair.

Jaune sighed blissfully at the familiar touch to his head, and snuggled closer to Pyrrha's side, nuzzling against her leg. She stroked his hair gently, her fingertips occasionally skimming his cheeks. Slowly, her hand traveled to the base of his neck, which she massaged tenderly, then his back.

It was at that point when, out of habit, Jaune rolled onto his back so that Pyrrha could scratch his belly. Her hand ran up his abdomen and pressed against his chest where his kimono was starting to slip, and Jaune's eyes flew open as he abruptly remembered that he was in his human form, not his fox form.

He looked up at Pyrrha. The sunlight was shining on her fiery hair, and there was a dusting of pink on her cheeks. Her emerald eyes held a softness that was both like and unlike what Jaune was used to. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears. His tail was wagging uncontrollably, something that Pyrrha noticed with a quiet laugh.

Her laugh was like music, and just like that, Jaune knew that he was in love. Slowly, he shifted until his head was resting in Pyrrha's lap. He gave her a questioning look, which she answered with a smile. One of her hands remained on his chest while the other softly brushed his hair from his face, caressing his cheeks with the gentleness of a kiss.

Pyrrha watched as Jaune fell asleep under her touch, her heart warming at the peaceful expression that decorated his beautiful face. She glanced at his tail, which was still wagging a little in his sleep, and smiled.

It had honestly been inevitable, now that she thought about it. How could she fall in love with anyone else but the person who had been by her side from the beginning, who had understood her in a way no one else had, who had given her the courage to be herself and follow her own path?

Even if Jaune had never revealed his human form, Pyrrha had a distinct feeling that she would have never been satisfied with any other man. The connection they shared, the comfort, the trust… Something like that was an entirely different type of magic, something that was meant to last forever.

Carefully, she maneuvered herself and Jaune until she was lying next to him. She cuddled against him and fell asleep with silk on her cheek and the setting sun on her hair.

When she woke up, it was night and she was holding a sleeping fox in her arms. She smiled, nuzzling a kiss into his sweet-smelling fur. He stirred a little, letting out an adorable, sleepy whimper. He blinked at her with bleary golden-brown eyes as she sat up. He parted his jaws in a yawn and tilted his head up at her.

Pyrrha smiled. "I need to go. Ozpin's probably worried about me."

Jaune nodded. "Be careful at work." He put one paw on her leg and moved up enough to lick her cheek. He trotted off into the forest, pausing to smile over his shoulder once more at her before vanishing in the bushes.

After that, things were pretty straightforward. Jaune accepted these new feelings gladly, though he was aware of the responsibility he had concerning how he went about courting Pyrrha. He couldn't inadvertently glamour her with the small amount of magic he possessed, and he couldn't make her feel like she wasn't allowed to change her mind about her own feelings.

In the end, he decided that going the human route was the best option.

So, when Pyrrha sought him out again, he was sitting on a rock in his half-fox form with a guitar in his hands. He strummed a little as she approached, allowing his fox claws to act as picks.

"Have you always had this?" Pyrrha asked as she sat down next to him.

"I borrowed it from Granny, actually." Jaune noticed the glimmer in Pyrrha's eyes, and the way her mouth kept twitching, as if she was trying not to laugh. "I heard human males play music for the girls they like…" He hesitated. "Unless…wait. Is that something they do later on? Inari, I'm bad at this…"

Pyrrha did let out a chuckle then, leaning over to kiss Jaune's cheek. "I think it's sweet," she said honestly.

Relieved, Jaune started to play an old folk song he had heard when he was a cub. He was aware of Pyrrha watching his hands as they moved across the guitar. Her head came to a rest on his shoulder, and she closed her eyes with a content smile. When he was done, he carefully set the guitar down and grasped Pyrrha's hands in his, resting his head on top of hers. His tail wrapped around her waist and went across her lap.

Eventually, Pyrrha freed one of her hands to stroke the long, soft fur of Jaune's tail, carefully picking out the occasional burr or twig. She frequently had to stop, however, due to its uncontrollable wagging whenever she touched it. She glanced up at Jaune's face to see his ears folded back and a bashful grin on his muzzle. It was too adorable!

Over the course of autumn, Jaune developed a habit of stopping by Pyrrha's room in the middle of the night in his fox form. He would check on her, making sure she wasn't having any nightmares, and then place a small gift by her pillow for her to find in the morning. Mostly, these were flowers and blackberries.

The first night, he almost brought her a mouse. Thankfully, Mary had been in the area and informed him that no, humans generally don't like receiving dead animals when being courted. She was more than happy to help herself to the mouse, of course.

With the coming of winter, Jaune noticed during his nightly visits that Pyrrha used a large number of blankets.

"Doesn't your room have a furnace?" he asked one day.

"No, only a few of the main rooms do," Pyrrha explained. "It's fine, though. I've gotten used to it."

"Would it…help if I stayed?" Jaune asked his tail flicking nervously. "In my humanoid fox form, I mean. My fur would probably help a lot." When he noticed the way she wasn't quite meeting his eyes, he quickly added: "Just to sleep, obviously. We don't need to do anything else."

Pyrrha smiled, slowly looking up at him again. "I'd like that." A strange combination of excitement and disappointment filled her. A good part of her was disappointed that Jaune had clarified that they would just be sleeping, but another part was relieved. _I'm not ready quite yet,_ she thought. _Maybe soon, but not now._

That night, Jaune slipped into her room in his fox form, as always. This time, however, Pyrrha was awake and waiting for him. He transformed into his half-fox form, this time wearing only long cloth pants. He waited for her to move her blankets aside for him, then slipped in, opening his arms for her. He drew her close, his muzzle resting on her head, his tail wrapping snugly around her waist and traveling up her back.

The first thing Pyrrha noticed was just how thick and soft the fur on Jaune's chest was. She rested her head there gladly, inhaling the scent of grass and dew. The comforting press of his warm tail on her back lulled her to sleep quicker than anything.

The snow became thick, and Pyrrha spent most of her time working for the woodcutter. Eventually, it reached a point where the only time she saw Jaune was at night, when she would cuddle into his fur and sleep soundly until morning.

On some nights, when she hadn't worked quite as hard and wasn't overly tired, she found herself becoming a little playful with her beloved fox. When he pulled her close, she would run her fingers through the fur on his chest and belly while leaving soft kisses on his muzzle. Sometimes, she would nibble his pointy ears, and his giant tail would wag hard enough to fling her blankets across the room.

When spring came, the two became even closer. The warm weather and the scent of cherry blossoms filled their young souls with a desire that was very new to both of them.

It was Pyrrha who made the first move as she and Jaune sat under a tree together, Jaune playing his borrowed guitar. As he came to the end of the song, Pyrrha gently took the guitar and set it to the side before pressing her lips eagerly to his, her hands asking a silent question as they ghosted the territory between silk and flesh.

Jaune responded by tugging at the rough cloth of Pyrrha's work uniform, slipping a hand underneath and caressing her sun-warmed skin. After that, all either of them cared about was the softness of the moss and grass beneath them, the feel of silky fur against sensitive flesh, and the gentle passion of their joined lips.

They lay together in the aftermath, Jaune's kimono blanketed over them. Pyrrha shivered delightedly at the cool silk against her skin, and how it contrasted with Jaune's warm chest. She kissed his collarbone lazily, giggling as the tip of his tail tickled her side.

"Jaune?" she asked eventually.

"Hm?" Jaune nuzzled the side of her neck, kissing a few bite marks he had left there.

"Remember when I talked about traveling?"

"Of course." Jaune drew back to look at her. "Why? Did you find a horse?"

Pyrrha nodded. "In the next town. Also, I think I have enough for the other supplies I need. I can leave before spring ends, though I can be delayed a bit."

"Delayed?"

"To get supplies for you," she explained. "If…If you want to come with me, of course."

Jaune hesitated, glancing to the side before looking back at her. "You won't have to get supplies for me, Pyrrha, but…traveling with someone like me won't be easy."

"How so?"

"Well, we won't be able to go to any big cities, not unless they're near large forests. There are a lot of places that would kill me on sight, and I'm not exactly good at hiding unless I stay in my fox form." He glanced at his large tail.

"We don't have to go to any big cities," Pyrrha insisted. "I just want to see more of the world. I've always preferred the wilder places, anyway. We can go from forest to forest, visit other temples, and find places untouched by humans." Her eyes lit up with excitement as she talked about it. "We can meet other foxes and tanuki and spend time with them if we need more company. And we can always come back here. Nora and Ren will likely get married within the next year or so. I don't plan on missing that."

Jaune's tail started to wag, even as he tried to not get too hopeful. "That'll mean a lot of camping in the wild."

"I did plenty of that during my army training."

"We may get chased by spirit hunters."

"I'll protect you."

"I'm incredibly needy. I'll demand your attention pretty much all the time."

Pyrrha smirked, rolling over so that she was leaning over Jaune, her hair shrouding both of their faces. "My attention, along with the rest of me, is all yours."

Jaune pulled her into a rough, messy kiss, and they didn't talk much for the next half hour. When he did speak, Jaune murmured against Pyrrha's shoulder. "Well, I guess this is an offer I can't refuse."

"You can," Pyrrha corrected.

"Yeah, but I won't." He smiled at her, his tail swishing in the grass. "I love you, Pyrrha."

Pyrrha kissed his brow, combing her fingers through his hair, watching as his eyes immediately started drooping. "I love you too."

Near spring's end, Pyrrha said her farewells to Ozpin, Nora, Ren, and her parents, who surprised her by giving her several packages of traveling cakes. She left in the early morning with a spirited chestnut mare, who bore all of her possessions. As she left the border of the town, she thought she saw a large, white-furred face peering at her from the trees. When she turned to look, there was nothing.

After a moment, however, there was a rustling in the bushes followed by the arrival of eight foxes. Jaune's sisters were all nuzzling him, muttering goodbyes to him. The eldest trotted over to Pyrrha.

"Take care of my brother," she said. "Or I'll inflict you with a curse that'll make you wish you were dead."

"Don't say that to her!" Jaune snapped.

"You have my word," Pyrrha assured the Queen. "We'll be back to visit."

"We'll be waiting," the vixen replied, flicking her tail before turning to Jaune. "Have fun, brother!"

Just as suddenly as they appeared, the seven sisters vanished back into the brambles, leaving only Jaune.

He looked up at her, his eyes alight with excitement. "Ready to go?"

"I've been ready for years." The two started down the path, Pyrrha holding the reins of her horse, Jaune trotting easily beside her. After a few minutes, she noticed him stealing a few glances toward the mare. "Do you want to ride?"

"Yes!" Jaune said immediately.

Pyrrha chuckled, picking up the golden-yellow fox and setting him on the saddle, where he sat proudly, his tail arced regally. "What path?" she asked.

Jaune's muzzle stretched back in an easy grin. "Whichever one you choose!"

….

 _One Hundred Years Later_

Watching over one's descendants was hard work. Jaune had long ago lost count of how many times his grandchildren would make some stupid financial decision, or one of his little great-grandchildren climbed a too-high tree or did something else that would probably get them killed if they didn't have a certain fox waiting in the bushes to cast a quick spell to soften their fall.

 _The children always had a good amount of sense,_ Jaune lamented as one of his great-granddaughters, a spirited child with dirty knees and a bright, eager smile, picked herself up after being washed ashore from the river. _What happened?_

His twin tails bristled, and his ears were flat. When he went by the town again, he'd have to make sure one of his grandsons hadn't drunk himself into a stupor over that girl who had rejected him last week.

Of course, all of his descendants weren't idiots. There were several scattered across many towns and cities. There were healers, fortune tellers, priests, and soldiers. Jaune often saw to them, particularly the soldiers. The last time he had been on the battlefield, he had noticed a boy with black hair and turquoise eyes who may have been descended from Ren and Nora.

It was hard to tell where he was anymore. The human town names all blurred together. Only the occasional child, grandchild, or great-grandchild who particularly stood out marked each place. Jaune wondered what he would do when his children and older grandchildren passed. Would he reveal himself to the younger generations, or would he withdraw to the forest, watching from afar?

As the little girl went home, Jaune lay down in the grass, his head on his paws, and breathed a long sigh. This was tiring work. Tiring, and lonely. _Pyrrha would know how to deal with this…_

Pyrrha had died at ninety-nine years, surrounded by her family. Jaune definitely remembered that particular town. He remembered spending many years wandering the forest surrounding it, lost, hesitant to go near his children who reminded him so much of their mother.

They all reminded him of her. Children, grandchildren, and further. That was why he couldn't stay away.

Jaune closed his eyes and didn't even notice when he had gone from wakefulness to sleep. He just got up and started walking. Then, he noticed a new path, one he didn't recognize, one that shimmered when he set his paws on it.

Realizing then that he was in a dream, Jaune trotted along the path, looking around, wondering whether this was a simple fantasy, or a vision that would mean something.

His answer came at the end of the path, where a large, mighty, nine-tailed fox sat. It turned its white head in Jaune's direction and bowed.

Jaune bowed back, deeply. "Mistress Inari," he greeted.

The fox nodded, then turned her head, peering into a large, still pool. Jaune padded over and looked as well.

What he saw made him gasp: In the pool, he could see an image of a forest, one far away from where he was. Walking through the trees was a three-tailed fox bearing a mouse in his jaws. He trotted to a den at the base of a large oak tree, offering the food to his mate.

The image shifted, and Jaune saw inside the den. The mother fox, a two-tailed beauty with cream-colored fur, was curled up next to her mate. Nestled against her side was a single cub, a cub with fiery-red fur. Jaune watched the cub's eyes open and, for a moment, saw a circle of emerald green around the pupil.

In that moment, he felt the first surge of true happiness he had felt since the growth of his second tail. He gazed up at Inari, who was smiling down at him. "Thank you, Mistress."

He looked back into the pool, committing the image of the cub to memory. He knew that he'd have to wait for several years before he could see her. She needed to grow up, have her own cubhood, and live her own life. Then, when her adult years began, she would start to remember. That was the way of things. Then, once she remembered Jaune, she would come looking for him.

Jaune could be patient. He could look to the future with confidence, now that he knew he would be seeing his love again one day.

When he woke up, his first amused thought was: _I guess Pyrrha is going to be the Seeker Fox this time around._

His tails swished happily as he stood up, wholly ready to attend to his responsibilities as the patriarch of his family. The sun was on his fur, the wind was tickling his ears, and, somewhere far away, Pyrrha Nikos was beginning her life anew. All was right with the world.

"Thank you, Inari," Jaune whispered as he padded through the trees and toward the human town. "Thank you so much."

 **I was going to end it when Jaune and Pyrrha left but realized that I had to cover the fact that they do indeed get to spend an immortal life together. Jaune just has to wait a bit and play babysitter for his descendants in the meantime. Because, let's face it. Every family has a handful of people who would probably get themselves killed if they didn't have other people looking out for them. And I see Jaune and Pyrrha having a pretty big family, so yeah.**

 **Stay tuned for Sunday, when I post the first chapter of my Freezerburn Dæmon/Soulmate AU fic. It's also the first day of Freezerburn Week, so you'll be getting a nice collection of oneshots after that.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show some extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


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